What Happened When I got My Tires Balanced

Yesterday, I went to a chain tire store to get my tires rotated and balanced because I received a coupon from them in the mail. While waiting I went to the nearby mall for a short while. On my way back to the tire store, I saw my 95 Nisson pickup on the rack with the hood up. That seemed strange to me because there is no reason to get under the hood to balance the tires.

A few minutes later the store manager came to me and told me that I have some problems. He said that my front brake rotors are badly scored and should be replaced, although the pads are good. The service would cost $169.99. I would need two rotors at $33.72 each. But he said that I have problems with the rear brakes too. A cleaning and adjustment would run $29.99. And a brake flush would cost an additional $59.99.

He wasn't done yet. He said that the manufacturer recommends replacing the shocks at 50,000 miles. He told me that I was lucky to have had the shocks for 81,000 miles. The cost of replacing all four shocks would only be $359.99. The shocks are fine.

After having the brakes done, I would then need a front-end alignment for $74.99. If I have everything done, he would take off 20 bucks from the total of $762.39. I thanked him and left after I got the tires balanced.

I wonder how many unsuspecting people get sucked into getting work done on their cars that they very likely do not need.

any comments?

Reply to
Nathan Schulman
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i'm wondering why the hood was up!!!!!! what you experienced is typical for these thieves . reminds me of a trip to midas . you should mention the name of these crooks so people can be aware. i'll bet when you take it to a REAL shop that you probably need nothing ! dick

Reply to
D.

"D." quipped:

regardless if he needed anything done or not, I don't recall the OP requesting any "system check". So, yes, I'd agree that peeking under the hood was a just a way to try and find something mysteriously wrong.

I had something similar happen to me once, and I just told them that I'd have my regular technician check it out. (I didn't have one at the time but it's a graceful way of getting out of the situation).

Those bottom dollar oil change w/free tire rotation and/or brake system check coupons are nothing more than a way for many less than honest shops to bring in unsuspecting customers to rob them of hundreds, if not thousands of dollars in unnecessary repairs.

And oftentimes there's no complaints at the BBB either. Mainly because the people who are getting bilked didn't even KNOW they were cheated.

Reply to
amstaffs

Should have told them to bend over the workbench so you could show them where to stick the brake job and shocks.

Reply to
LouieG

Yeah before I married my wife she took her Nissan truck to Midas for new "lifetime" brakes. So when the pads wore out they flat out refused to replace them for free unless I also paid to replace the rotors too. Saying the rotors were below tolerance (which was BS) and they wouldn't just do the brake pads because that would create an "unsafe" condition.

Reply to
Dino

One of those Midas weenies tried pulling that crap on my mom when I was in college. I'd followed her over to have lunch while the car was being serviced and had my tools in my trunk. Despite the "technician" whining about shop insurance and liability, I walked under the car while it sat on the lift, and mic'd the rotors. I found the min thickness stamp and determined the rotors were well on the high side of their useful life.

When I showed the "technician" my reading he mumbled the car would be ready in an hour and shuffled off. My complaints to the manager went nowhere - the fat bastard was probably in on the scam.

Reply to
The OTHER Kevin in San Diego

Here is a link for a multi part expose from KNBC in Los Angeles about Jiffy Lube and their business practices:

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the Part 1, 2, 3 links for the complete 3 part story.

Reply to
QX

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